Romania court: Same-sex couples should have legal protection

FILE - In this Saturday, June 9, 2018 file photo, two girls kiss holding a rainbow flag during the gay pride parade in Bucharest, Romania. Romania's top court has ruled that gay couples should have the same family rights as heterosexuals, a judgment that comes before a referendum seeking to ban same-sex marriage. The Constitutional Court has ruled that same-sex couples have the same rights to a private and family life as heterosexuals. Teodora Ion-Rotaru, of the gay rights group Accept, told The Associated Press on Friday, Sept. 28 the ruling was "extremely important." (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda, file)

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romania's top court has ruled that gay couples should have the same family rights as heterosexuals, a judgment that comes before a national referendum seeking to ban same-sex marriage.

The Constitutional Court ruled that same-sex couples had the same rights to a private and family life as heterosexuals and should "benefit from.... legal and juridical recognition of their rights and obligations."

The Oct. 6-7 referendum is seeking to limit the constitutional definition of family to heterosexual, married couples.

Teodora Ion-Rotaru, of the gay rights group Accept, told The Associated Press on Friday the ruling was "extremely important."

"It says same-sex couples should have the same legal rights as heterosexuals," she said. "The court says a same-sex family is worth as much as a heterosexual family."

The vote comes after 3 million Romanians signed a petition demanding that the constitution be changed to explicitly state that marriage is between a man and a woman. The Romanian Constitution currently says marriage is between spouses.